What is a false start in roller speed skating?
I · Intermediate · Pack races, start and finish · 3 of 3In sprints the starter says ON YOUR MARKS and skaters take their boxes standing; after five seconds comes READY, when they must be still before the gun. In long races and the 1,000 m the commands are ATTENTION and a shot. One false start per skater per race brings a yellow card; a second brings a red card and disqualification.
How it works
- Sprint commands: ON YOUR MARKS, then READY, then the gun.
- In the box: first skate inside without touching any line.
- Long distance and 1,000 m: ATTENTION, then a shot, standing behind the line.
- False start: moving before the gun, not staying still, touching lines, rocking back for momentum.
- First false start: a yellow card.
- Second: a red card and disqualification.
- Problem after READY: a skater may raise a hand once to stop the start.
- Fall at the start: within 100 m, a restart if others are brought down.
The glossary has the start commands, the false start (FS), the start box, the start order, the restarting the start procedure and the starter team.
Tricky cases
One skater goes early and another follows. Who gets the false start?
Only the first.
A skater dawdles back to the line after a recall. Any penalty?
Yes. Delaying the restart is itself a false start.
A long-distance skater falls in the first 50 m and brings two others down. Restart?
Yes. In long races a fall that brings down two or more within 100 m means a restart.
Were the commands always ON YOUR MARKS and READY?
No. Until 2025 they were IN POSITION and SET.
Why the rule exists
A still, set position makes the start equal for every skater. A two-strike rule allows one nervous mistake but stops deliberate jumping.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sprints | ON YOUR MARKS and READY | Art 129.1 |
| 1,000 m and long distance | ATTENTION and a shot | Art 129.3; 131 |
| 300 m time trial | One false start per round | Art 160.3 |
From the rule book
World Skate, Speed Rulebook 2026, Articles 126 to 131 and 160. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the World Skate Speed Rulebook 2026.